Temperature regulation



Feb. 2, 1937. C. 'A. OTTO TEMPERATURE REGULATION Filed Aug. 8, '1936 .mwOJU OH. DMWMDH .mC/..55 ZOMML .PWOEMMEF .MOODPDO Gtfomegs Patented nel. z, 1937 UNTED` STATES 2,069,418 l TEMPERATURE REGULATION Carl A. Otto, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Johnson Service Company, Milwaukee, Wis.,`a corporation of Wisconsin Application August s, 193s, semi No.' 95,012

16 Claims.

This invention relates to the control of yearround conditioning and Ventilating plants.

The present trend in the air conditioning art is toward the use of installations which are used continuously but function differently according to climatic conditions.

Under winter conditions, or say when outdoor temperature is below 65 F. the plant operates to heat and preferably also to humidity the air. Under summer conditions, or say when outdoor temperature is above 75 F. the plant operates to cool and dehumidify the air. Between 65 and 75o outdoor temperature the plant may be operated simply as a Ventilating system, both the heating and the cooling meansfbeing wholly out of action. The temperatures above mentioned are dry bulb. If effective temperature is used to control, and this is proposed, appropriate Values would be 63 and 70.

The automatic control of such a plant, particularly with conventional therinostats and humidostats, which it is desirable to use because they are standardized and commercially available, is

by no means a simple problem. The present invention involves principles which meet the needs of the situation and permit the successful use,

in special combinations, of standard commercialy units.

The basis of control is the use of two air lines which may each be charged or vented. One line puts into and out of action the heatinghumidifying unit together with its controls. The other line similarly puts into and out of action the cooling-dehumidifying unit. Either line may also furnish the supply of motive fluid to apparatus controlled by the other line, so as to effect a joint control.

In this.way it is possible to establish at least three operating conditions by using combinations of line conditionz (l) Both lines Vented (2) One line charged, the other vented.

(3) Both lines charged.

A fourth permutation, similar to (2) but the reverse thereof, is mathematically possible, but would be needed only if some fourth character of control were added, and hence need not be discussed.

In the exemplary 'embodiment hereinafter described, the two lines in question operate to put the heating-humidifying unit and its associated automatic controls into action selectively with respect to the cooling-dehumidifying unit and its associated automatic controls, and operate also to shut both units down, and open Ventilating dampers.

In addition to the automatic controls directly associated with the units there are usually room (or zone) thermostats which control delivery to the room of air conditioned by the unit. I'hese room units must be reversible in their regulating elect according' as heating or cooling is in progress. Regulation by the two branch lines above mentioned can be applied to effect the desired reversal of such a room thermostat and to shut down this room thermostat when Ventilation without artificial conditioning is in pIOg'IeSS.

While the charging and venting of the two lines can be effected bymanual control, automatic control can be effected by a two-point thermostat subject to an independent temperature, conveniently but not necessarily outdoor temperature and preferably outdoor effective temperature (combined wet and dry bulb). 'Ihe two point thermostat changes the condition of charge of one line at one of its control points and changes the condition of charge of the other line at its other control point.

For purpose of explanation a control system will now be described in which both lines are vented to establish heating conditions. On rising outdoor (or related) temperature one line only is charged at the rst control point to establish Ventilating conditions, and then at the second control point the second line is charged v(without Venting the first) thus establishing cooling condition.

In the drawing,-

Fig. l is a diagram of the control system with the manual valves set for automatic control.

Fig. 2 is a sectional View of a reversible twobar winter-summer thermostat.

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are diagrams of the manually set Valves, showing them in position for heating, Ventilating and cooling respectively. In these settings they cut out automatic control by the twopoint thermostat.

The main air supply line, leading from any suitable source of air under pressure (not shown) is indicated at 6 together with the Various branches thereof. This line supplies the master thermostat l, of knownv construction, here assumed to be an outdoor, effective temperature two point instrument with control points at 63 and 70. Thermostat 1 operates through two positive (snap action) relays 8 and 9, also of known construction. Below 63 both relays Vent their branch connections Ila and I2a. -At 63 thermostat 'l operates relay 8 to put pressure on connection Ila, and at 70 operates relay 9 to put pressure on branch connection I2a. Interposed between connection Ila and line Il and between connection |2a and line I2 are manually operable multiple way cocks I3 and I4. Each has a supply branch from line 6 and a Vent port, as shown. g

As positioned in Fig. 1 the supply and vent ports are closed and branch lines Ila, Il and 12a, I2, are respectively connected through the cocks.

` and fresh air dampers 35 (biased to close). line I2 is under pressure motor 29 shifts valve 32 and 33 from line II4 4open and fresh air This is automatic setting with thermostat 1 in control. In the other three settings thermostat 1 is cut out. In heating setting (Fig. 3) both lines II and I2 are vented, in Ventilating setting (Fig. 4) 'line II is charged and I2 vented, and in cooling setting (Fig. 5) both II and I2 are charged.

The cocks I3 and I4 system to be set permanently for are merely to permit the any chosen cycle, thus suspending automatic control. They can be omitted.

Branch line II leads to the motors I5 and I6 When line I I is vented, valve I8 connects thermostat 23 in controlling relation with motor 24 of steam valve`25 (typifying any heating means). Valve 25 is biased to open and closes as thermostat 23 supplies pressure uid in response to rising temperature. When line II is charged valve I8 disconnects thermostat 23 from motor 24 and admits main line pressure to the motor to hold the steam valve 25 closed.

Line I2 serves as the supply line for thermo- Y stat 26 connected to control the motor 21 of the refrigerant valve 28. This valve is biased to close and opens only when thermostat 26 supplies motive fluid to motor 21 in response to rising temperature. If line I2 is vented motor 21 is Vented and valve 28 closes.

Line I2 also leads to motor 29 of three-way valve 3I. The valve is biased to the position shown in Fig. 1 in which 'a branch of line II is lconnected with the damper motors 32 and 33 of the recirculation dampers 34 (biased to open) If 3I to disconnect motors and vents the motors.

1 It follows that if lines II and I2 are both charged, or are both vented, motors 32 and 33 are Vented so that recirculation dampers 34 are dampers 35 closed. The damper positions are reversed only if line II is charged while line I2 is vented (-see Fig. 4). In that case pressure uid supplied by line II shifts motors 32 and 33. p

The above controls take care of controls local to the conditioner.

Heating Ventilating Cooling Heat valve and con- Active Inactive... Inactive. Humidifier and con- Active Inactive... Inactive.

r Refrigeration and Inactive Inactive... Active.

control. Darnpexs Recirculation. Freshar.- Recirculetion.

The eect is to provide for conversion between three cycles at the conditioner and furnish air at one uniform condition for heating and at another uniform condition for cooling. To regulate conditions in the rooms thermostats are used to vary the rate at which conditioned air is delivered.

, ing temperature.

Under heating conditions the rate must be reduced by rising temperature, while under cooling conditions the rate must be increased by ris- Under Ventilating conditions the rate control should be eliminated. The patent to AOtto No. 2,021,263, issued November 19, 1935, discloses a thermostat having two bars reversely operating,.independently adjustable, and capable of selectively controlling a single leak port. Selection between the two bars is made by changing the pressure of air supplied to the thermostat so that atone supply pressure the thermostat exercises control appropriate to heating and at another supply pressure a control appropriate to cooling.

In Fig. 1 such a thermostat is indicated at 36. Several such thermostats, one for each of various rooms or zones may be supplied by the same air line 31 and each may control a corresponding motor 38, which by any known means (not shown) regulates the supply of conditioned air to a corresponding room.

Fig. 2 shows the essential elements of such a thermostat. The'hinged lid 39, biased to open, controls leak port 4I. Two relatively reversely acting thermostatic bars 42, 43, yieldingly supported at their lower ends, as shown in said Otto patent, may act tovforce lid 39 in a closing direction, but only one can act at a time since the cams 44, 45, on a common shaft, act to hold them selectively out of action. A bellows motor 46 subject to pressure in line 31 acts through lever 41 to shift the cams. Y

In Fig. 1, 48 represents a pressure source at I1 pounds gage, and 49 a source at 13 pounds gage.

A three Way valve 5I, biased to the position shown, normally connects low pressure source 49 with line 31, but when line I I is charged a motor 52 connected to line II, shifts valve 5I to isolate source 49 and connect lines 31 and 31a. A three way valve 53, biased to the position shown, normally vents line 31al to atmosphere, but when line I2 is charged a motor 54 shifts valve 53 to close the atmospheric vent and connect high pres- -sure source 48 with line 31a.

The conditions are as follows:

Heating condition-both lines II and I2 vented, are supplied at 13 pounds to thermostat 36.

Ventilating condition-line I2 vented, II charged, line 31 vented via 31a, thermostat 36 and motor 38 inactive.

Cooling condition-lines II and I2 charged, air supplied from source 48 at 17 pounds via 31a to 31 and hence to thermostat 36.

In this way the convertible thermostat is rendered active in each sense, and inactive -selectively.

The system above described gives automatic or manual conversion to three operative phases for the system as a whole. It also connects the local thermostat (or local thermostats if more than one is used) so that they operate in consonance with the phase in effect.

Pneumatic thermostats that put pressure in branch lines in response to fall of temperature are known and may be used with obvious revisions of connections and other features such as the bias of valves. These changes fall within the broad scope of the invention which ls directed to control of three phases by charging and venting two lines, either with or without the related control of reversible thermostats.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination of a conditioning plant including heating means, cooling means and moytor-operated dampers controlling air circulation in the system; two regulatory pressure lines arranged to control through the establishment and dissipation of pressure therein, one of said lines being connected to control the heating means, the

- other nline being connected to control the cooling means, and the two lines being also connected to exercise conjoint control on said dampers; and means operable to charge both lines, vent both, or charge one and vent the other, to establish three operating conditions for said conditioning plant.

2. The combination of a conditioning plant including heating means, a thermostatic control therefor, cooling means, a thermostatic control therefor, and motor-operated dampers controlling air circulation in the system; two regulatory pressure linesl arranged to control through the establishment and dissipation of pressure therein, one cf said lines being'connected to control the heating means, the other line being connected to control the cooling means, and the two lines being also connected to exercise conjoint control of said dampers; and means operable to charge both lines, vent both, or charge one and vent the other, to establish three operating conditions for said conditioning plant.

3. The combination of a conditioning plant including heating means, a temperature-responsive control therefor, humidifying means, a humidityresponsive control therefor, cooling means, a temperature-responsive control therefor, and motoroperated dampers controlling air circulation in the system; two regulatory pressure lines arranged to control through the establishment and dissipation of pressure therein, one of said lines being connected to control the heating means, the other line being connected to control the cooling means, and the two lines being also connected to exercise conjoint control of said dampers; and means operable to charge both lines, vent both, or charge one and vent the other, to

.establish three operating conditions for said conditioning plant.

4. The combination of a conditioning plant including heating means, cooling means and motoroperated dampers controlling air circulation in the system; two regulatory pressure lines ar-l ranged to control through the establishment and dissipation of pressure therein, one of said lines being connected to control theheatingmeans, the other line being connected to control the cooling means, and the two lines being also connected to exercise conjoint control on said dampers; means operable by temperature changes to charge both lines, vent both, orcharge one and vent the other, to establish three operating conditions for said conditioning plant, said temperatureresponsive means being subjectto a temperature unaffected by the conditioning plant but functionally related to the temperature which the 'conditioning plant operates to correct.

5. The combination of a conditioning plant including heating means, cooling means and motoroperated dampers controlling air circulation in the system; two regulatory pressure lines arranged to control through the establishment and dissipation of pressure therein, one of said lines being connected to control the heating means, Y

the other line being connected to control the cooling means, and the two lines being also con- ,nected to exercise'conjoint control on said dampers; means operable to charge both lines, vent both, or charge vone and Vent the other, to establish three operating conditions for said conditioning plant; and an outdoor thermostat for controlling operation of said line charging and venting means.,

6. The combination of claim v5 further characterized in that the outdoor thermostat for controlling the line charging and venting means is of the effective temperature type.

Y 7; The combination of a conditioning plant including heating means, cooling means and motoroperated dampers controlling air circulation in the system; two regulatory pressure lines arranged to control through the establishment and dissipation of pressure therein, oneof said lines being connected to control the heating means, the other line being connected to control the cooling means, andthe two lines being also connected to exercise conjoint control on said dampers; means operable to charge both lines, vent both, or charge one and vent the other, tol establish three operating conditions for said conditioning plant; and a multi-point thermostat controlling operation of said line charging and venting means, said thermostat being operable within a certain temper-` sponse to pressure conditions in both of said lines to eiect said adjustment of the thermostatic control device.

9. The combination of claim 8 further-characterized in that said adjusting means for the thermostatic control device arefluid pressure actuated and that means are provided to vary, `in response to pressureconditions in both of said regulatory lines, the pressure of pneumatic supply v to actuate said adjusting means.

10. I'he combination of a thermostatic control device adapted for adjustment to respond in reverse senses to temperature changes; Vtwo regulatory lines adapted to control through the establishment and dissipation of pressure therein; meansoperable in response to pressure conditions in both of said lines to eiect said adjustment o f the thermostatic control device; and means operable to charge or `vent said lines and thereby control pressure conditions therein.

11. The combination of pneumatic motor means for actuating' fluid now regulating means; a thermostatic valve mechanism for controlling said motor meansytwo regulatory lines adapted to control through pressure conditions therein; and means, responsive to pressure conditions in both of said lines, to reverse, with respect to temperature, the action of `said thermostatic valve mechanism on said motor means.

12. The combination of pneumatic motor means 'for actuating uid flow regulating means; a thermostatic valve mechanism for controlling said motor means; two regulatory lines adapted to control through pressure conditions therein; and means, responsive to pressure'conditions in both of said lines, either to reverse, with respect to temperature, the action of said thermostatic valve mechanism on said motor means, or to render said thermostatic valve mechanism inoperative to control the motor means.

13. The combination of a conditioning plant including heating means, cooling means and motoroperated dampers controlling air circulation in the system; two regulatory pressure lines arranged to control through the establishment and dissipation of pressure therein, one of said lines being connected to control the heating means, the other line being connected to control the cooling means, and the two lines being also connected to exercise conjoint control on said damp ers; means operable to charge both lines, vent both, or charge one and vent the other, to establish three operating conditions for said conditioning plant; a thermostatic device adapted to control means for regulating flow of at least a portion of the air in the system; and means, operable in response to pressure conditions in both of said regulatory lines, to reverse, with respect to temperature', the action of said thermostatic device on said air flow regulating means.

14. The combination of a conditioning 'plant including heating means, cooling means and motor-operated dampers controlling air circulation in the system; two regulatory` pressure lines arranged to control through the establishment and dissipation of pressure therein, one of said lines being connected to control the heating means, the other line being connected to control the cooling means and the two lines being also connected to exercise conjoint control on said dampers; means operable to charge both lines, vent both, or charge one and vent the other, to establish three operating conditions for said conditioning plant; pneumatic motor means adapted to actuate means for regulating flow of at least a portion of the air in the system; a thermostatic valve mechanism for controlling said motor means; and means, responsive to pressure conditions in both of said regulatory lines, either to reverse, with respect to temperature, the action of said thermostatic valve mechanism on said motor means, or to render said thermostatic valve means inoperative to control the motor means.

15. The combination of a conditioning plant including heating means, cooling means and motor-operated dampers controlling air circulation in the system; two regulatory pressure lines arranged to control through the establishment and dissipation of pressure therein, one of said lines being connected to control the heating means, the other line being connected to control the cooling means, and the two lines being also connected to exercise conjoint control on said dampers; means operable to charge both lines, vent both, or charge one and vent the other, to establish a heating condition, a cooling condition, or a Ventilating condition for said conditioning plant; a thermostatic device adapted to control means for regulating iiow of at least a portion of the air in the system; and means, operable in response to pressure conditions in both of said regulatory lines, either to reverse, with respect to temperature, the action of said thermostatic device on said air ow regulating means, according as said heating or said cooling conditionv is established, or to render said thermostatic device inoperative to control the air flow regulating means when said ventilating condition is established.

16, The combination of a conditioning plant including heating means, cooling means and motor-operated dampers controlling air circulation in the system; two regulatory pressure lines arranged to control through the establishment and dissipation of pressure therein, one of said lines being connected to control the heating means, the other line being connected to control the cooling means, and the two lines being also connected to exercise conjoint control on said dampers; means operable to charge both lines, vent both, or charge one and vent the other, to establish a heating condition, a cooling condition or a Ventilating condition for said conditioning plant; an outdoor thermostat for controlling operation of said line charging and venting means; a thermostatic device, responsive to air temperature in the system, to control means for regulating flow of at least a portion of the air in the system; and means, operable in response to pressure conditions in both of said regulatory lines, to reverse, with respect to temperature, the action of said thermostatic device on said air ilowing regulating means according as said heating or said cooling condition is established.

CARL A. O'ITO. 

